Born Of Fire

Born Of Fire Chapter 3

10 Years Later

Phoenix could feel the sweat pouring down between his shoulder blades as he carried the water back to the village. Most people who went to the river to fetch water only carried one bucket at a time, but Phoenix insisted on carrying four. Fashioning a long pole of oak, he had cut four notches into it to secure the buckets against sliding off of it as he walked. Each time he went for water, he came back drenched in sweat and covered in dirt. He spied a tree along the path that offered ample shade, so he carefully removed the pole from his shoulders and sat beneath it, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. For a time, he sat in silence, listening to the rustle of the leaves as they blew in the spring breeze. A shadow passed in front of his closed eyes, blocking out the light he could see trying to break through his eyelids.

"Hello Ember," He said, not bothering to open his eyes. He had not heard her approach, but Ember was the only person in the entire village who could sneak up on him, as her steps were as light as the air she controlled.

"Hello Phoenix," She replied, sitting next to him in the shade of the large tree. "You were gone this morning. I made breakfast, but you had already woken and left."

"We needed water."

She nodded, biting her lip. "Phoenix," The young woman began.

Still without opening his eyes, he cut her off. "Don't."

"But Phoenix."

He opened his eyes then, taking in the unmarred view of the right side of her face as she stared out onto the path. "Leave it Ember."

She turned until her eyes met his, and he cringed inwardly. Her right eyelid drooped down, almost covering her bright blue eye. The entire left side of her face was scarred in a complex pattern, her hair had never grown back correctly, and hung in clumps. From one side, she was a beauty such as the country had never seen, but from the other, a victim of tragedy.

"Phoenix, it has been ten years! You have grown into a man, and are yet to take a wife and bless our house with the joy of children. If you do not do so soon, all the girls in the village will be married off, and you will be left alone. I cannot go through the pain of seeing you alone Phoenix."

He bit his tongue against the hurtful remark he was about to say, then spoke in an even, emotionless tone. "I want nothing to do with anyone from our village. The men jest, the boys point, the women gossip, the girls whisper amongst themselves. They all know why I took the oath to stop using my fire, but still they speak behind my back, thinking I cannot hear them."

"Phoenix, that's not true."

His eyes flashed in anger, not toward her, but toward the memory still fresh in his mind. It had happened three weeks ago.